Page 42 of Stone Blind

› Check in with Cherry.

› Fly into Dayton to get her vehicle, then drive to Oxford, Ohio to start training with Lemon.

› Grab a book on home remedies.

› Winter jacket and possible boots.

› Call Azrael to see if there is any 411 on Lemon she’d be willing to share.

› Check on the leads of the Chrysalis and share what she’d found, which was nothing.

Just as she did with the boys at Apple’s place, Helen made a special going away breakfast for Mustang. There was no need to caress his ego or pump him up for their next meeting, since she didn’t know when it would be. In the past, her M.O. would have been an offer to help with the move, or create a folder with the steps needed for a smooth operation. Not this time. The move and getting his life from Oregon to Indiana would be solely upon him, that way, if he reconsidered, it had nothing to do with her.

As easily as she’d arrived, she kissed Jay lovingly and left for the airport. She was headed to Ohio to train with Lemon.

“Ohio,” Mustang said, picking up his phone. It was a call he needed to make, but was hesitant. He dialed anyway to get the ball rolling.

“State your need,” the voice said.

“The Mustang is moving to greener pastures and is requesting an assist,” he said in the line. Gabriel Neary, the Archangel, was the last person he wanted to call but the ideal person to handle what he needed. It also helped that he and his brother Bleu Neary dealt in real estate, and Bleu had a crew of toothless construction workers that got jobs done. He also could get his hands on government surpluses of manufactured homes.

“State your needs,” the voice repeated.

“October 1st, I’ll be starting a permanent teaching position in Plainfield, Indiana at the Trooper Academy,” he said. “I texted you the property I’d like to have for my new home, but it will need a privacy fence all around and a double or triple wide residence with septic, propane, and satellite. I will wire you three plus your fee.”

The Archangel asked, “Indiana?”

“Yeap, can you keep it quiet until everything is in place?”

These kinds of moves made The Archangel nervous. Helen wasn’t a tested filly, and she was still in training. The anger she nurtured like a sick puppy didn’t have a home, and The Mustangwas about to move into her backyard to graze. It could mean trouble if the woman felt as if she were being monitored. “Does she know?”

“She picked the property. Mustang out.”

THE HOUSE FELT DEADwithout Helen in the space. He’d never considered himself to be a lonely man, but her absence really made him happy he was getting the hell out of Oregon. His new future meant coming home from work to her. In the meantime, there was packing and moving ahead for the next sixteen arduous days.

He went to check the workroom to see what would go and what needed to be packed separately for shipping across the country. He started with the workstation where Helen and he had worked to make the tables. A white envelope rested on the countertop. The bold script stated “the first night without Helen...”

“What in the world is this?” He said, holding the envelope. Mustang lifted the flap, seeing the words, “Maybe have a seat first with a cold drink?”

“Okay, Helen,” he said with a smile, wondering what she was up to with the package.

He held the envelope in his hand as he climbed the stairs. The white package rested on the end table while he poured himself a cold glass of lemonade, almost calling to him like a Siren on the crags, luring him to a salty finish. Seated in his favorite chair, he crossed his legs and opened the envelope. Mustang began to read the words, nearly holding his breath in anticipation.

Night 1- Ending My Day with Helen

Jay, around the house, I have left 14 more of these envelopes. Each evening, before closing your day, we shall end the evening together as we have the past two weeks. Over the next 16 days as you pack up your life in Oregon, preparing to start anew in Indiana, you will find these notes. In each envelope are the 15 reasons I am looking forward to sharing a life with you.

To keep it interesting and to hone those tracking skills of yours, Baby, each letter contains a clue as to the location of the next night’s envelope.

However, in this letter I have included reason one I’m looking forward to a life with you.

Talk soon. Your friend, lover and woman-Helen

Mustang touched his chest, surprised at how much the idea of reading a letter from Helen each night when he came in from work moved him. It also triggered his hunting instinct to find the letters in the house. He was packing, so she knew he’d find them all, but he was game to play along.

Initially, upon her departure, she’d seemed rather cold and distant, almost distracted, and he’d felt some kind of way. However, this made up for it. Mustang checked inside the envelope and located another smaller notecard. He pulled it out and opened it to find a photo.

“Oh, dear Jesus!” he said, looking at a photograph of his bare, naked, flaccid penis. He looked closer at the image, and there was a pink post it note cut in the shape of an arrow pointed at his life givers. “When did she take this shit?”

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